Delta earned over $5 billion in pre-tax profit in 2018 and did not pay a dime in federal income tax. And that’s exactly how the program is supposed to work according to Delta’s CEO. One last snippet from the...
Delta CEO Dismisses United CEO’s “Pissed Off” Passenger Assessment
Delta CEO Ed Basitan does not agree with United CEO Oscar Munoz’s assessment of how passengers feel by the time they step onto a plane. Last month, Munoz told ABC News that by the time passengers stepped onto any...
Why I Question The Logic Of DOT Tokyo Haneda Slot Awards
I’m eating a little humble pie today…or at least humble mochi. My aviation predictions tend to be accurate, but not on the recent slot awards for Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Still, I question the logic of the DOT. Late...
Delta CEO “Encourages” Boeing CEO
In a wide-ranging interview with Marketplace, Ed Bastian talked about Delta’s future relationship with Boeing. First, let me give a plug for the full interview. When I turned on my car yesterday, I heard Ed Bastian’s voice…he was being...
American Airlines Employee Unions Failing Membership
After an outpouring of messages, comments, and material evidence it is clear that American Airlines employee unions are failing their membership and it’s everyone that pays the price. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please...
Delta Air Lines Caught In Political Turmoil…Again
Delta Air Lines has rescinded its sponsorship of an event to honor the Brazilian President. Jair Bolsonaro, the bombastic newly-elected President of Brazil, has been called the “Trump of the Tropics” and was elected by a wave of populist...
Southwest: Delta “Squatting” At Dallas Love Field
Tensions are rising over the use of one gate at Dallas Love Field. Southwest claims Delta is illegally “squatting” while Delta claims it must protect Dallas from Southwest. Dallas Love (DAL) has 20 gates. Technically, 18 belong to Southwest...
Is Delta Messing With JetBlue?
Delta, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, announced plans to serve London Gatwick from New York and Boston. Is this really about pursuing two lucrative new routes or is it about discouraging JetBlue from the same routes? Like One Mile at a...
Warren Buffett’s Delta “Mistake”
Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Warren Buffett’s company, now owns more than 10% of Delta Air Lines. Buffett calls that an unintended mistake. Last month, independent of one another, Delta bought back more of its own stock. Meanwhile, Berkshire Hathway increased its...
Korean Air Ejects Passengers With Peanut Allergy. Fair?
Two teenage boys were thrown off a Korean Air flight after mentioning their peanut allergy. The story again raises the question of how should these situations should be handled. The Patel brothers were traveling from Atlanta to Manila via Seoul...
Fascinating New York Times Interview With Delta CEO Ed Bastian
David Gelles of the New York Times recently sat down Delta CEO Ed Bastian. The Q&A offers a fascinating look into Bastian’s history from childhood to present. We learn about Bastian’s childhood, his first summer jobs, his time as...
U.S. Carriers Fight For Coveted Tokyo Haneda Slots
Four U.S. carriers are fighting for 19 slots at Tokyo Haneda Airport. Who will be left without a seat when the music stops? A new bilateral aviation agreement with Japan gives U.S. carriers access to 12 new daytime slots...
Delta Employees Laugh While American And United Employees Cry
Delta employees have reason to smile this week. $1.3BN in 2018 profit was distributed across the company’s 86,000 employees. For the average employee, that represented a $16,000 bounty! Delta’s profit sharing program has returned profits to employees for five...
Was The Delta Inflight Napkin Really That Creepy?
Delta and Coca-Cola have apologized for a “creepy” napkin that sparked passenger complaints. I’m failing to see the controversy… The napkin, pictured below, gave passengers the chance to record their name and phone number and encouraged them to share...
Spirit Pulls Ahead Of American And United, But Delta Still On Top
It appears Spirit Airlines is heading in an EasyJet rather than Ryanair direction. The ultra-low-cost carrier has much to boast about on many metrics, including operational performance. But Delta remains at the top. Each year Scott McCartney, an airline...
Passenger Carries Firearm Through TSA Checkpoint And Onto Delta Flight to Japan…
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents in Atlanta totally a missed a firearm in the carry-on bag of a Delta passenger, who ended up transporting the weapon to Japan. The unidentified passenger did not deliberately sneak the firearm onboard. He...
Delta Passengers Trapped On Remote Island In Alaska!
194 Delta passengers found themselves on a remote Alaskan island for more than 12 hours on Christmas Day. Delta Flight 128, a Boeing 767-300 traveling from Beijing to Seattle, encountered “potential engine trouble” ennroute to Seattle. The flight diverted...
Dense, Dimwitted Logic From A Deliberately Deceptive Delta CEO
Air Italy’s USA expansion has caused a stir amongst U.S. legacy carriers. But Delta CEO Ed Bastian’s op-ed response is riddled with deception and outright mistruth. Feel free to start by reading Ed Bastian’s op-ed without my commentary. I’m...
Delta Seriously Restricts Emotional Support Animals
Delta will impose a strict new ban on emotional support animals on longer flights, effective next week. The carrier will also tighten restrictions on service animals next year. While the carrier already tightened its emotional support animal policy earlier this year,...
Delta Will Resume Atlanta Flights Next Year From Burbank
After a multi-year hiatus, Delta will resume flights between Atlanta and Burbank, California next July. Delta is billing its new route as “media and entertainment” route. Ranjan Goswami, Delta’s Vice President of Los Angeles and West Coast Sales said, “And if...